Door-latch



(No Model.)

' E. s. WINCHESTER.-

DOOR LATCH.

N0. 364,563. Patented June 7, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

EDWARD S. VVINOHESTER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

DOOR-LATCH.

ei ncrr'ica'rroiv forming par; of Letters Patent No, 364,563, dated June '7, 1887.

Application filed February 26, 1887. Serial No. 228,925. (No model.)

To all whom-it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. Wmonns TER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Door-Latches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to that class of knob door-latches in which thelatch-bolt, projected by a spring and retracted by a knob or its equivalent, is combined with devices to hold it in its retracted position until the closing of the door. Heretofore these detaining devices have been constructedto engage a notch in or shoulder upon the bolt, and acted to hold the latter only when it was fully retracted. It frequently happened, therefore, that the latch would be retracted a sufficient distance to release the door, but not sufficiently to be held by the detent; the latch being then thrown forward by its spring while the door was open, it would offer all the disadvantages of an ordinary latch in closing the door, and, if made,as usual, with a square,end,would strike against and mutilate the casing.

The aim of the present invention is to avoidthe difficulties which were incident to the old construction, and to provide means by which the latch-bolt will be automatically secured at any point to which it may be retracted and automatically released on. the closing of the door, and also to prevent its release by children or other meddlesome persons.

To this end the inventionconsists, first, inv

combining with the latch-bolt a detaining device acting with frictional effect to hold the bolt in aiiyposition in which it may be placed, and, second, in combining with the said frictional device and the means fordisengaging the same a special spring of such strength as to prevent the releasing devices from being operated by hand.

My invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, which will suggest themselves to the skilled 'mechanic after a reading of this.

specification; but I have represented in the drawings that form of embodiment which I recommend as best adapted for ordinary use.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a horizontal section through a latch on the line a: w of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a face view of the same, the front of the casing being removed to expose the internal parts to view.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the lock-casing; B, the latch-bolt urged outward by a spring, 0; D, a second bolt, commonly known as a yoke, arranged to engage a shoulder on the latch-bolt to effect its retraction; E, a spring by which the yoke is urged forward, and J the stump through which the knob-spindle passes, and which is provided with projections to engage the arms of the yoke and draw the same backward as the knob is turned.

So far as described the foregoing parts are of substantially the same construction as in other latches at present known in the art.

In applying my improvement I provide the latch-bolt with a lateral arm or projection, a, and secure to the inside of, the lock-case a strong longitudinal spring, F, having its free 'end arranged to bear against the arm a. I

construct this spring of such strength that the friction upon the arm a will be sufficient to resist the action of the spring 0 and hold the latch-bolt in any position to which it may be retracted-that is to say, in any position between the two extremes of its movement. Thus constructed and applied, the spring F constitutes africtioual dctent or detaining device to hold the latch-bolt in any position in which it may chance to be'left when the door is open.

The essence of my invention resides in de taining the bolt by friction, and it is manifest that the form of the spring and its arrangement and connection with the bolt may be modified at will, provided only the bolt is held by frictional effect.

.For the purpose of relieving the bolt from the action of the detainingspring F when it is to be projected I mount in the lock-case a transverse pin, G, bearing at one end on the detaining-spring, and in the outer side of the case I mount a second pin, H, its outer end projected in position to encounter the door jarnb or casing when the door is closed, and its inner end in position to act upon the pin G, and cause the latter to lift the spring F from the bolt. IVhen this action occurs, the bolt is immediately projected by the spring 0.

The pin H is flanged or headed at its inner end, and is inserted to its place from the inside of the lock-case In order to prevent it from being forced inward by hand, either ac eidentally or purposely, I provide a second spring, I, secured to the lock-ease, and hearing against the inner end of the pin H, as shown in Fig. 1. This second spring I, the 5 sole purpose of which is to prevent the pin H from being forced inward by hand, is made of such strength that, although it will resist the pressure of the finger upon the pin, it will yield when the pin encounters the door-casing, IO and thus permit the automatic release of the latch-bolt. In practice the spring I is commonly made much stronger than the other. If desired, I may combine with the frictionspring a lip or shoulder, (shown by dotted lines I5 at 0,) to engage the bolt and hold the same with a positive action when it is fully retracted. When this deviceis used, the bolt will be held by frictional effect until it reaches-its innermost point, when the positive locking action 20 will occur.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combination with a latch-bolt and a spring to project the same, the detent, substantially as described, bearing normally on 25 said bolt, and acting frictionally to hold the same, whether wholly or partially retracted, against the influence of the projecting spring, and a lateral pin or projection for lifting the detent out of action.

2. In combination with the latch-bolt and its projecting spring, the friction-spring F, acting upon the bolt and adapted to hold the same againstihe influence of the projecting spring, the pin G, to act upon the detaining-spring, the projecting pin I-I, extending beyond the lock, and the spring I, acting upon the pin II, as described.

In testimony whereofI hereunto set my hand, this 5th day of January, 1887, in the presence 0 of two attesting witnesses.

EDIVARD S. \VINCH ESTER.

Witnesses:

W. HEnnERT BOYNTON, EUGENE M. SMITH. 

